Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers Trade Anthony Duclair to San Jose Sharks
The Florida Panthers have traded Anthony Duclair to the San Jose Sharks for Steven Lorentz and their own 2025 fifth-round pick.
The move in trading the popular Duclair clears up some needed salary cap space for the Panthers as they saved nearly $2 million.
Duclair is in the final season of a three-year extension worth $3 million annually he signed with the Panthers in 2021; Lorentz, a fourth-line type player, is making just over $1 million.
Lorentz, 27, scored 10 goals and 19 points in 80 games for the San Jose Sharks last season after spending the previous two with Carolina, totaling 10 goals and 21 points in 112 games.
Duclair had two goals and nine points in 20 games in the 2022-23 regular season after returning from an offseason Achilles tear.
He added four goals and 11 points in 20 games during Florida’s run to the 2023 Stanley Cup Final.
“A great ambassador for the sport of hockey,’’ GM Bill Zito said in a statement, “we would like to thank Anthony for his contributions to the Panthers organization and in the South Florida community.”
Duclair found a home in South Florida after playing for five different teams and making an All-Star appearance with Ottawa along the way.
He scored 10 goals and 32 points in 43 games during the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season on a one year, $1 million “prove it” deal he signed during the offseason.
Duclair broke out the following year, scoring 31 goals and 58 points in 74 games.
“I got a great opportunity when I came down here,” Duclair said. “I was lucky enough to be part of a great team and wanted to make South Florida a home for myself when I got there and did just that. It is just a matter of keeping on going.”
After sustaining an Achilles injury last June, Duclair set the roots for the Anthony Duclair Foundation in South Florida and launched it in July.
The Panthers donated $100,000 to his foundation at the time and allowed him to use their practice facility in Coral Springs for a summer camp for kids.
Duclair’s foundation has a mission to reach out to children who have experienced racism in hockey and to educate others to prevent it from happening
His Panthers teammates have stood behind that goal, many of them attending his launch event in February and a couple making appearances at his summer camp in June.
“Big thanks to Vinnie Viola and the Florida Panthers for donating the money and supporting me in everything I do and helping these kids out,” Duclair said.
“I’ve got great ideas and I’m looking forward to more ventures in the future.”
This is a developing story that will be updated once more information becomes available.
FLORIDA PANTHERS ON DECK
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- Oct. 7: Preseason ends, vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
- Mid-October: Start of 2023-24 Regular Season
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Help us understand the thinking here George, I’m not upset with this deal per se, just a little confused by it, why not just have him play out his contract, as opposed to trading him with a year left? No offense at all to the player they traded him for but based on your own analysis it seems like this is a type of player you can easily get off the waiver wire. So what’s the benefit to the Panthers in trading him a year early, because as I see it, now we lose his services for the upcoming year.… Read more »
No one will say so, but you have to think a bigger move is coming. That $2 million could come in handy to do something else. With so many teams up against the cap, teams with space are getting great deals on good players like this. We cannot judge this trade based on what Florida got back right now; lets see what they do with it.
Agreed. They still need help, and 2 names both linked to the Panthers are still available. Bertuzzi up front and Hanafin on D.
I think Bertuzzi is out of our price range, but man, wouldn’t it be nice to see him on a line with Benny and Tkachuk.
Can’t say I’m a fan of this transaction—unless they needed the cap space now for some free agent they are looking to sign that’s as good or better than him. Best wishes to the Duke though.
Exactly. If he isn’t replaced then this deal becomes even more perplexing. The only thing I can think, is maybe he’s much more valuable in our minds than he is in anyone elses. I didn’t think he would ever fetch a Hanifin type in a one for one trade but I certainly expected to get more than a fourth liner and a 5th rounder. I think George is 100% correct you have to expect they’re going to bring in another top six forward. Either that or they really value Denisenko and think he’s going to be able to fill the… Read more »